HIV cases hit record high in April with 388

HUMAN immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the Philippines continues to rise, with a record high of 388 new cases in April, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

The latest figure was 67 percent higher compared to the same period last year, which was at 233, according to the April 2013 Philippine HIV and Aids Registry Report.

Last month’s figures reset the record high of 380 cases in January.

Of the new cases, 25 have already progressed into fullblown acquired immune-deficiency virus (Aids) cases.

Majority of the cases were transmitted still through sexual contact at 356, with 287 (81 percent) coming from the males-having-sexwith male (MSM).

Homosexual contact resulted to 176 new cases followed by bisexual contact with 111 and heterosexual contact with 69.

Unsurprisingly, 95 percent of the new HIV cases were found to be males.

Those to have come from injecting drug use or needle sharing had accounted for the 32 other new HIV cases.

As to the age range, the DOH reported that 61 percent of the new cases came from the 20 to 29 age bracket.

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were also found to have contributed 39 new HIV

cases with all but one coming from sexual contact.

The other case came from injecting drug use of an OFW.

The report showed that there were 12 from heterosexual contact, 15 homosexual, and 12 bisexual, where OFWs acquired HIV.

On the other hand, almost half or 43 percent of the new HIV cases came from the National Capital Region followed by Calabarzon (16 percent); Central Visayas (14 percent); Davao Region (8 percent); and Central Luzon (5 percent).